Best salt mixes

[reeferfoxx]

I tried to order my preferred choice, Tropic Marin Pro Reef, just last night. Unfortunately it was on back-order. If that says anything?

I like this salt because it mixes fast. I'm always on a time crunch and a 20-30 minute mix is perfect. Plus it mixes clean.

I won't go into if it is better or not, as most salt mixes work. But I like the lower Alk and higher calcium. Lets me adjust things as DOC's build up.

 

[jason2459]

Tropic Marin Pro
Tropic Marin Pro
Tropic Marin Pro

IO and Reef Crystals have INSANELY High Alkalinity Levels.

It is Impossible for me to Keep Alkalinity Stable with those Salts.

So I Switched to Tropic Marin Pro (What most Reefers in Europe Use).

The Alkalinity is Spot on for me at around 8.5

Reef Cystals is around 14!

Didn't know it but I am even Happier that somebody in the Thread Mentioned it has the Lowest Lithium of any Salt out there

I usually get around 12dkh with IO. I wouldn't call that insanely high. IORC does have higher Alk and Mg then I like.

How much of a water change do you do at one time? Do you have a lot of stony corals? How much alk do you have to supplement? Where do you maintain your alk in the tank?

If doing small regular water changes I don't see a 12dkh impacting a tank running around 8dkh at least not more then dosing to increase alkalinity would and could help reduce the amount dosed.

But Tropic Marine Pro is a good salt and if it wasn't for price probably one I would use.

 

[Oldreefer44]

Used Salinity for several years and was impressed with the consistency and how well it mixed. Got to be very difficult to find so have switched to Aquaforest. So far so good but does not mix as easily and needs about 50% more mix per gallon.

 

[jason2459]

Another question. How many of you dose? I myself don't dose accept when i first upgrade to a tank larger than 40 gallons but I only used the small bottles of fluval to raise calcium and alk when I did water changes bc I thought it help my corals grow better or faster. But I haven't done that in a while. So that's another reason why I'm looking for a new salt. I want my lps and sps to grow. The only thing that I can actually see growth in are my pink birds nest three different Duncan's and my hammers. My Acans have done nothing and I have frags of different plates and brains and favia that have done nothing for months

I use regular IO and change via an automatic water change system that changes water 255 times per day that adds up to around 1% daily. Then I add a fully saturated limewater solution separate from my ATO and under evap amounts running at 1 second every 2 minutes. If I need to adjust alkalinity I can adjust limewater additions up or down or if I need to drop alk quicker I will add muriatic acid to my saltmix.

I will add a tiny amount of Mg to my saltmix maintaining my Mg levels around 1350 to 1450 in the tank.

Doing the above maintains calcium around 440.

 

[RJ Harris]

The muriatic acid as in hydrochloric acid like the stuff used in the concrete/masonry industry?

 

[jason2459]

The muriatic acid as in hydrochloric acid like the stuff used in the concrete/masonry industry?

Yes, take care in using it and storing it.

I believe Randy posted this and I believe its for around 31-32% concentration. There are "Green" low odor types which is just more diluted HCL. I use this formula and the muriatic acid I use is just over 31% HCL
Adding 1/11,000 of the water volume as muriatic acid will drop alkalinity by 1 meq/l (2.8 dKH)

 

[RJ Harris]

Oh believe me I know all about the stuff. It smells awful. I use to use it working with a cousin who owns a masonry company. We use to wash the stone to get any mortar off that found its way out of place. The stuff is awful and burns like crazy

 

[jason2459]

Yes it (the liquid and fumes) will burn everything on and in you.

I wouldn't suggest anyone trying to smell it. Your mucus membranes and lungs will hate you.

 

[themcnertney]

Kent Marine

 

[RJ Harris]

Yes it (the liquid and fumes) will burn everything on and in you.

I wouldn't suggest anyone trying to smell it. Your mucus membranes and lungs will hate you.

Haha yeah they've hated me a lot in the past.

Could the brand of salt and not testing elements and them being higher or lower without dosing be to the detriment of certain corals. I know someone and I myself have had a problem with the euphyllia family in that. They always die although I think in some of our cases it could have been a factor. But could it also be the above that I mentioned? Right now I have 2 types of hammers that are the size of footballs that are doing great and a frogspawn I got from a guy that is recovering nicely after his chevron tang kept nipping

 

[Kungpaoshizi]

Hey guys, stop trolling my answer. I'm being cautious, you're being trollish-QQ.

We've seen more documented negatives, but no documented positives in lithium research, so that makes your argument moot. If I'm wrong, please share the links.

I'm relaying the info I've learned from the research I've come across. You're relaying your personal opinions based on a lack of facts. There's a difference, please respect my helpful answer.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

OK, so I'll just restate for clarity, there is no evidence that I have seen that the typical lithium levels found in many salt mixes is any concern to a reef tank. Known biological effects (positive or negative) happen at much higher concentration. The majority of great reef tanks in the US have these elevated levels.

It is fine to be cautious, just as with elevated or depleted levels of anything in reef tanks. But this is the least of most folks worries, IMO.

 

[Kungpaoshizi]

I'm thankful for your clarification Randy. Other than what we do or don't know, only time will tell as to the possible biological interactions. The bigger thing I press with always sharing the urchin info I've found, even if it doesn't relate to many peoples tanks, in an entirety, is the fact that if data is swept under the carpet, it will never be in full view to press salt manufacturers to hold higher standards. I see it a lot in the hobby and I think it's one of the main reasons the hobby progresses so slowly. And frankly I don't think the ocean, and it's decline, will wait for us to finish debating. /shrug

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'm thankful for your clarification Randy. Other than what we do or don't know, only time will tell as to the possible biological interactions. The bigger thing I press with always sharing the urchin info I've found, even if it doesn't relate to many peoples tanks, in an entirety, is the fact that if data is swept under the carpet, it will never be in full view to press salt manufacturers to hold higher standards. I see it a lot in the hobby and I think it's one of the main reasons the hobby progresses so slowly. And frankly I don't think the ocean, and it's decline, will wait for us to finish debating. /shrug

Please share the urchin data you have so we can understand it.

 

[RobBaglieri]

I am interested in the urchin data as well. Is there any data that has been derived from controlled, well designed experiments? Is there any peer reviewed published data?

 

[Ike]

Please share the urchin data you have so we can understand it.

I love it when hobbyists read scientifc data and come to their own conclusions... Even worse is when aquarium cpanies doing the same thing and we get people thinking they need to dose strontium and molybdenum because someone decided they wanted to make more money on a product that isn't even helpful for our organisms.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2005/3/aafeature

In case you don't want to read the whole thing...

"In conclusion, the results of this study and many other studies demonstrate that there is no evidence of toxicity of freshly mixed synthetic sea salts to sea urchin larvae and no evidence that using synthetic sea salts in a marine aquarium would be detrimental to the health of the organisms in the aquarium."

Now back on topic... I use RC or IO, usually whichever is cheapest. If you corals aren't growing or you're struggling to keep certain types of corals it has nothing to do with the fact that you're using IO. IO is perfectly capable of being the salt for spectacular reef aquariums, no additional elements needed other than maintaining the big three.

 

[jsker]

Back on topic, I use several and now I am very happy with AquaForest reef salt, mixes fast and if have had great results with my system.

 

[RJ Harris]

I've been hearing some good things about AF. Will be looking into that more. Definitely will have to order it online as none of my stores sell it

 

[sk8elenex92]

Salinity for the last 3 years and cant complain. Pricier but you get 225 gallon at 1.026. Price pretty much equals out to the same thing as any other salt. Also like the lower ALK and consistent. I truly dont believe there is a best salt.

 

[Kungpaoshizi]

Here's a good place to start. Http://www.google.com


Lithium effects can be seen far beyond just urchins.
To pretend it has to only be certain levels is to invite assumptions. It's the same as saying 5 beers are not toxic.

Constructive intellectual conversations can be had by anyone, so don't sell yourself short. It's indeed funny to see the emotions come forth when you "diss" someone's choice in salt. ☺